Natural gas can be converted into liquid hydrocarbon fuels, such as gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and military fuels. With current methods, two major reactions are used: a first reaction (methane reforming, endothermic, requiring energy or partial oxidation, exothermic, requiring oxygen separation from air) to convert the raw material into synthesis gas or “syngas”, and a second reaction (Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis, exothermic, producing energy) to convert the syngas into the fuel.
While such methods are effective, the need for multiple reactors in which those reactions occur add expense to the fuel generation process. In particular, the capital investment costs and energy usage in gas-to-fuel plants are skewed by the need for separate reactors. Energy inefficiencies also arise because the reforming step is endothermic at a high temperature whereas the conversion of syngas into fuel is exothermic at a lower temperature.
In view of the above discussion, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to have alternative systems and methods for producing liquid hydrocarbon fuels from natural gas.